Multiple-speed railway.



'No. 330,733. PATENTED SEPT. 11, 1303. 3 L. M33333.

MULTIPLE SPEED RAILWAY.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 13, 1304.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

TH l NORRIS PETERS cm, wAsHmGron, n I;

N0. 830,733. PATENTED $EPT.11, 1906. L. MGHARG. MULTIPLE SPEED RAILWAY.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 18, 1904.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

7 tl'litoz-mzkim cams PETERS ca, wasnmarou, n. c.

LESLIE MoI-IARG, NEW YORK, N. Y.

MULTIPLE-SPEED RAILWAY.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 11, 1906.

Application filed Line 18, 1904. Serial Nov 213,188.

To all whom it may concern:

. i Be it known that I, LESLIE MCHARG, a citi zen of the United States, and a resident of the city, county, and State of NewYork,have

invented a certain new and Improved Multiple-Speed Railway, of which the following J -(is a full, clear, and exact description. ".My invention relates to multiple speed railways or moving sidewalks, and my objects are to so construct the same that only a minimum number of strong and simple parts will be used, thereby cheapening the cost of construction and maintenance and minimizing the danger of accidental derangement.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, in which similar reference-nu 'merals relate to similar parts in all the and pedestals are located at suitable-inter-' views. 7 Figure 1 is a fragmentary plan view of one series of platforms, the same being partly broken away. Fig. 2 is a central section on;

the line :1: w of Fig. 1, looking in the direction of the arrows. Fig. 3 is a transverse section of a number of platform series arranged in parallel. Figs. 4 and 5 are fragmentary views of modifications of the rails and tracks.

. Upon a number of pedestals 1 2 3 4 4 4 are mounted the shafts 15,16 1718 18 18*, carrying the wheels or pulleys 11 11 12 12 13 "13 13 13 13 13?. These wheels, shafts,

vals along the way, the shafts being placed in the straight portion at right angles to the line of travel and radially on the curved portions.

A'series of platform-sections 5 6 7 8- 9 are each provided with the centrally-disposed rib 20, the ends of the rib being provided with the draw-heads 21. The heads on successive sections are connected by means of the draw bar 22 and coupling-pins 23, so as to give flexibility to the structure for the purpose of enabling it to turn corners and to enable damaged platform-sections to be quickly and easily removed and replaced. Each platform-section is provided w th convex and concave ends, the convex end of one closely fitt ng the concave end 26 of the adjacent sect on. A number of pairs of rails 31 and 34, and 32, 33 and 35, are rigidly secured upon the bottom of each platformsection, the beams 61 and 62 being preferably employed for framing up the sections and carrying the rails; The rails 31 and "34 are curved, each being continued to the end of the platform-section to which it is secured. The adjoining rails may be made integral or connected by webs at suitable intervals, whereby their proper position with respect to each other is at all times maintained.

In my preferred form the wheels 10 10 11 11 12 12 13 13" 13 1313 13 are flanged, as shown, and the rails 30 31 32 33 3435 are of the ordinary T type used on railroads.

Transverse ribs 63 64 are provided on the under side connectingthe beams or sills 61 62' to the central rib 20, thereby providing great strength without material increase in weight.

Any suitable number of series of platformsections 6 51 52 may be mounted on the same or different shafts parallel to each other. Fig. 3 shows an arrangement of three series on the same shaft. 7

The wheels are mounted on the shafts, so that the flanges vwill come outside the straight rails on the straight portion of the way; but at the beginning of the curve the flanges are disposed so as to engage opposite sides of the rails for the purpose of guiding the curved rails into engagement with the next pair of wheels, and when the curved rails are fully engaged the flanges come on the outside of the rails.

, While I prefer the T rails and single-ii anged wheels just described on account of their cheapness and simplicity, the rails may be as shown in Fig. 4, or the wheels may be doubled flanged, as shown in Fig. 5.

A stationary platform may be located adjacent to the inner series of moving platforms for use as a station for the accommodation of passengers.

Suitable motors 56 are connected with certain of the shafts for the purpose of driving the shafts and wheels, thereby moving the platform, while the intervening wheels support and guide the platform. I i

As shown in Fig. 3, the wheelsgradually increase in size under the adjacent platformsections, so that a greater peripheral speed is attained for the same number of revolutions of the driving-shaft, enabling the platform series to be run at various speeds by the same shaft.

The structure is in substancea reversal of the ordinary railroad practice, in that the rails are secured to the vehicles, while the wheels are mounted on the way and constitute the road-bed.

- Having described the mechanical features, I will proceed to explainthe method of operation. The motors 56 are started and the power is applied to the platform series at intervals along its entire length, the series gliding over the idler-wheels and driving-wheels like a belt conveyer in the direction of the arrow in Fig. 1. As long as the travel is on the straight portion of the Way the flanged wheelsengage the straight rails 31 34. If a right hand'curve'is encountered, as shown in Fig. 1, a platform-section will be pulled slightly to the right by those/preceding it, assuming a different angle'from those immediately before and behind it. The flanged wheels 12-and 1 2 on the shaft 17 being on a line slightly inside the'line of the wheels on the straight part ofthe way will engage the curved rails 32 33, the flangesacting on the curved rails to turn the Jplatforms.still farther to the "right. After the curve is passed, the wheels on the straightway'will again engage the straight rails. If a left-hand curve is encountered, the oppositely-curved rails 30 35 are brought into operation in the same manner as are the 'rails32 33 "when curving to the right.

The essential feature of my invention'and that which differentiates it from all other multiple-speed railways-is that the driving and supporting wheels cooperating "with rigid rails act also as'the guiding means both on straight'and curved portions of-the way, thereby obviating the necessity 'for all spe- 'ci'al devices for this pur ose. These guides of the priorstructures l fave been the weak points of the'platform systems and have been the principal source of trouble in their opera- 'tion, as well'as one of the principal items in the cost of construction. 1

As the power is applied to the series at substantially regular intervals, there is practically no limit to their length A passenger maystep from the stationary :platform 50 onto the slow-moving series 6,. (see Fig. 3,) thence onto the middle-speed se-; ries 51, thence onto the high-speed which may be provided with seats and a; canopy. Handles 53 54'55-may be provided} tofacilitateprogress from oneto anotherofi the platform series.

My invention may be used on pleasure carousels, on bridges, intun'nels, or onstruc-i tures of different character where it'is desired to'have carsrpass continuously in both direc-, tions. 1

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new,*and desire to secure by Let tersPatent, is

1. A multiple-speed railway, comprising a "series ofrplatform-sections,rigid straight and curved rails secured to theplatform-sections .the straight rails only;

series 52, I

driving and supporting wheelsengaging the rails; said wheels and rails constituting the guiding means for the platform-sections.

2. A multiple-speed railway, comprising movable vehicles; straight and curved rails mounted upon said vehicles; revoluble members for engaging said straight and curved rails, thereby supporting said vehicles; and means for actuating divers of said revoluble members.

3. A multiple-speed railway, comprising movable vehicles; straight and curved rails mounted upon said vehicles; revoluble members for engaging said straight and'curved rails; and means for actuating divers of said revoluble members.

4. A multiple-speed railway, comprising a plurality of vehicles free to move on straight lines and on curves; straight and' curved rails mounted on said vehicles for supporting the same; revoluble members for engaging said straight and curved rails respectively; and mean for actuating divers of said revoluble members.

5. A multiple-speed railway, comprising'a lurality of vehicles free to move on straight lines and on curves; straight rails mounted upon said vehicles for supporting 'the same when moving on straight lines; curved rails for supporting said vehicles when moving on curves; revoluble members engaging said rails; and means for actuating divers of said revoluble members.

6. A multiplespeed railway,'comprising a plurality of vehicles, each provided with straight and curved rails; revoluble members arranged in straightrows for said straight rails only; revoluble members disposed radially for engagingsaid curved rails only; said radially-disposed revoluble members and curved rails coacting to change the general direction of said vehicles.

7. A multiple-speed railway, comprising-a plurality of vehicles each provided with straight and curved rails; revoluble members arranged in. straight rows for engaging and revoluble 'members disposed radially for engaging said curved rails only.

8. A multiple-speed railway, comprising'a series of unitary carriers consecutively'coupled by a draw-bar secured to a draw-head on 'each by coupling-pins; each of said-carriers being provided with rigid, laterally-disposed, straight and curved rail members, adapted to respectively aline with the corresponding members on theadjacent carriers; and'having downwardly-presented treads.

9. A multiple-speed railway, comprising a series of unitary carriers consecutivelycoupled by a draw-bar secured to a draw-head on each by coupling-pins; each of-said carriers being provided with rigid, laterally disposed, straight and curved rail members adapted to aline with the corresponding engaglng tion with a series of wheels disposed beneath said carriers so that the treads of said wheels shall coact with the treads of said rails to propel said carriers when said wheels are rotate 10. A carrier-platform, comprisinga series of unitary carriers consecutively coupled by a draw-bar secured to a draw-head on each by coupling-pins; each of said carriers being provided with rigid, laterallydisposed, straight and curved rail members adapted to aline with the corresponding members on adj acent carriers and having downwardly-presented treads; in combination with a series of wheels rotatable in stationary bearings disposed beneath said carriers so that the treads of said wheels shall coact with the treads of said rails to propel said carriers when said wheels are rotated.

11. A carrier-platform comprising a series of unitary, platform-bearing,'carriers consecutively coupled by a draw-bar secured to a draw-head on each by coupling-pins each of said carriers being provided with rigid, later ally-disposed, straight and curved rail members adapted to aline with the corresponding members on adjacent carriers and having downwardly-presented treads; the adjacent ends of the platform-sections being curved, the one concavely and the other convexly.

12. A carrier-platform, comprising a series of unitary, platform-bearing, carriers consecutively coupled by a draw-bar secured to a draw-head on each by coupling-pins each of said carriers being provided with'rigidflaterally-disposed, straight and curved rail members adapted to aline with the corresponding rail members on adjacent sections, and having downwardly-presented treads; the ends of the adjacent platforms being curved, the one concavely, the other conveXly; in combinationwith a series of wheels disposed beneath said carriers so that the treads of the wheels shall coact with'the treads of the rails to propel said carriers when said wheels are rotated.

13. A carrier-platform, comprising a series of unitary, platform-bearing, carriers consecutively coupled by a draw-bar secured to a draw-head on each by coupling-pins; each of said carriers being provided with rigid, laterally-disposed, straight and curved rail members adapted to aline with the corresponding rail members on adjacent sections, and having downwardly-presented treads; the ends of adjacent platforms being curved, the one convexly, and the other concavely; in combination with a series of wheels rotatable in stationary bearings disposed beneath the carriers so that the treads of said wheels shall LESLIE MoHARG.

Witnesses:

HENRY Ivns, 0. GRANT ESTERBROOK. 

